I wish my summer had been jam-packed with beach trips, weekend getaways and bopping about my city, but instead my days were centered around physical therapy. After tearing my ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) in the spring and undergoing reconstructive surgery, my June, July and August consisted of healing.
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While I’ve never been one to routinely purchase new athletic wear—baggy t-shirts and simple leggings were always enough for my local gym sessions—the 9 months of extensive PT in front of me led to filling my wardrobe with functional and comfortable clothing (while also utilizing what I already had on hand). For my injury, keeping my legs exposed is absolutely necessary—my therapists need to often perform manual therapy on my knee and see how it’s faring during exercises.
Obviously, people attend physical therapy to treat all different kinds of injuries, and the clothing required to do so will vary. I tapped experts to share their insights on what to wear to physical therapy appointments, as well as compiled the pieces I’ve found most helpful throughout my knee journey.
What to Wear to Physical Therapy, According to Experts
Denise Smith, owner of Smith Physical Therapy and Running Academy and certified physical therapist recommends that patients wear comfortable athletic gear that allows them to move freely during the session’s exercises. “[This] may include doing exercises like lying on a mat or standing to perform the exercises,” she shared with StyleCaster .
“In some instances, the therapist may need to do some manual (hands-on) therapy, so being able to remove a layer of clothing to expose the skin or clothing that is loose fitting and [can be moved] out of the way is helpful. Sports bras or tank tops can be helpful for women to wear if there is to be treatment to the upper body. It is most important that patients feel comfortable discussing with their therapist any concerns about exposure of the body as the goal of the therapist is to keep the patient feeling confident and comfortable as they learn about movement.”
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JR Justesen, FCAMPT, CSCS, CGIMS, and physical therapist at Parkway Physiotherapy , also recommends wearing loose clothing that is easy to move in. “It’s also advantageous to be able to see the body part. So if you have a shoulder injury, wear a tank top or a sports bra. If you have a knee injury, wear shorts or pants that are loose enough to be rolled up. Treating through clothes is difficult. Dry needling or IMS through clothes is basically impossible,” he shared.
What I Wear to Physical Therapy
The only requirements I personally set for my PT wardrobe were clothing that I felt the most confident in, as well as items that kept my knee exposed. In the beginning months of attending PT, I didn’t feel the need to show up in full athletic wear—since I was still on crutches, I was mostly confined to laying or sitting on the table. But as time went on, and my exercises began to ramp up, I swapped my more casual outfits for pieces like sports bras, sweat-wicking shirts and movement-friendly shorts.
What I wear to physical therapy helps boost my confidence in many ways, like ensuring I feel secure, supported and at my best to heal. With about 5 months left of my physical therapy journey, I’m sure I’ll be adding even more movement-friendly pieces into my drawers. But for now, the below items have certainly made surviving the process all the more doable.
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